Computed tomography of the spine and spinal cord.

Configurations of 50 normal lumbar canals at each vertebral level were assessed and the dimensions of the canal at these levels measured. The appearances of the contents of the canal and their absorption values were carefully analyzed in the lumbar, cervical, and thoracic regions. Of 75 scans of patients with specific spinal symptoms, 38 showed abnormalities representing 19 pathological entities. The appearances of these lesions on scans are compared with normal scans, and the usefulness of CT scans in assessing lesions of the bone and within the canal is discussed.